Kevin’s Five Themes for 2009

Five more themes for the New Year, courtesy of Kevin Depew, at Minyanville.

Five Themes You Need to Know for 2009

Kevin Depew’s Five Things You Need to Know to stay ahead of the pack on Wall Street:

Before we get to 2009, first, think back to a year ago. Deflation was barely on the radar of [...]

Edge, Execution, Allocation

Here’s a note from Condor Options discussing the essential building blocks of a successful trading system.   
Edge, Execution, Allocation: Pieces of the Trading Puzzle
Courtesy of Condor Options.
 
We spend a fair amount of time on this blog looking for trading systems that have some discernible and consistent edge over the market averages.  And edge is important: if you don’t know where [...]

More Great Ideas

Time for something new?  
More Great Ideas

Courtesy of Adam Warner at Daily Options Report.

Amazingly, this piece comes from an economics professor writing in The Financial Times, not The Onion.
 
So where do we go from here? The only actor large enough to restore confidence in the US market is the US government. The current policy of [...]

A Look Ahead

Thoughts on the market for the New Year.  And another plea for TARP help; will it ever end?  Courtesy of Joe, Upsidetrader.
Happy New Year and a Look Ahead

I’m still waiting for the Fed to completely forgive my mortgage, auto loans and credit card debts-hasn’t happened yet. GMAC has just announced that they are going to ring [...]

2009 Predictions…Stop the Insanity!

What are the generous, prolific, insightful writers who contribute so much excellent material to our Favorites Section thinking now, as this horrendous year for the markets comes to a close?
Let’s start with Howard Lindzon contemplating the New Year, suggesting no more predictions.  Instead, get out there and sell something (no, he didn’t say stocks).  – Ilene
2009 Predictions…Stop The [...]

We’re In For Stormy Weather

Musical Introduction: Bad Moon Rising

 
We’re In For Stormy Weather

Overshadowed by the economic headlines, serious climate trouble looms ahead.

Ban Ki-Moon, NEWSWEEK
 
The past year will be remembered for the global financial crisis. But next year will be no less dangerous, albeit for a different reason. Lost among the economic headlines is an even more important fact: emissions [...]

Borrowing From Peter to Pay Paul

Ellen Brown, at the Web Of Debt, writes about Fractional Reserve Banking and how it leads to boom and bust cycles.
BORROWING FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL:
THE WALL STREET PONZI SCHEME CALLED FRACTIONAL RESERVE BANKING
Courtesy of Ellen Brown, at the Web Of Debt

Cartoon in the New Yorker:
A gun-toting man with large dark glasses, large hat pulled [...]

$6B Foot in Door

Here’s Mish’s take on the $6B gift to GMAC — $5B stake in GMAC, plus a $1B loan to GM.  
Paulson’s $6 Billion Foot In The Door Play
The US Treasury continues to throw $billions around like peanut shells. Bloomberg is reporting Treasury to Buy $5 Billion GMAC Stake, Expand GM Loan.
The U.S. Treasury committed $6 billion to support [...]

Growing Unrest in Russia

Leo Tolstoy once wrote "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Anna Karenina, Chapter 1. 
Perhaps, the same is true of countries. Ilene 
Growing Unrest In Russia Amidst Economic Crisis 
Courtesy of Mish 
 
Falling oil prices, a collapsing Ruble, and a souring economy have Russia in the worst crisis [...]

GMAC Bailout

Henry Blodget explains how the Treasury bypassed Congress to spend TARP money without permission… 
Treasury GMAC Bailout A Fraudulent "Kiting" Scheme?

Courtesy of Henry Blodget, at ClusterStock 

The Bush Administration seems determined to extend the US auto industry’s life until January 21st come hell or high water. The latest sign of this desperation? The Treasury just bailed out [...]

The Rush to Disassociate

Kevin Depew discusses the world of finances from a socionomic perspective.  Socionomics is a theory about human social behavior.* – Ilene
Five Things You Need to Know: The Rush to Disassociate
 
Courtesy of Kevin Depew, at Minyanville

Kevin Depew’s Five Things You Need to Know to stay ahead of the pack on Wall Street:
The Rush to Disassociate
The one thing [...]

Doug Kass’s Surprises

Henry Blodget at Clusterstock reports on Doug Kass’s surprise predictions for the coming year.
Doug Kass’s 20 Surprises Of 2009

Courtesy of Henry Blodget

Seabreeze partner Doug Kass was kind enough to send us his 20 surprise predictions for 2009. As Doug explains, these predictions are outliers, not events that have a high likelihood of occuring (if [...]

Welcome to Parity

James Picerno discusses expectations for future inflation vs. deflation, reflected in the yields of conventional Treasuries and TIPS, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities.  – Ilene
WELCOME TO PARITY
Courtesy of James Picerno, at The Capital Spectator
Deflation is here. The question before the house: How long it will last?
Ideally, it’s just passing through, albeit throwing everyone into a temporary tizzy with [...]

Fifty Herbert Hoovers

State and local spending cuts:  wrong time, wrong place, just plain wrong.
Paul Krugman: Fifty Herbert Hoovers
Courtesy of Mark Thoma at Economist’s View.

Because of the crisis, state and local governments are facing falling tax revenues, increased demand for social services, and high credit costs. These factors, along with balanced budget rules, are forcing cutbacks at the [...]

Insult to Injury

A political moment — sadly, more annoying than surprising. 
Bush’s Midnight Regulations Value Profits More Than People
By Leo W. Gerard, writing in the Huffington Post.
…The legacy of George W. Bush’s final days in office will be degradation of the environment, endangered species and the safety of working people.
The Bush administration is rushing to finalize dozens [...]